


We Should All Believe In Santa Claus

by wolfspirals (gracefulally)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Malec Secret Santa 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 02:56:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9052447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracefulally/pseuds/wolfspirals
Summary: On Christmas Eve, Magnus and Alec's youngest son reminds them why Santa Claus is more important than the myth.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [freewheelingbisexualbane](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=freewheelingbisexualbane).



> Contains excerpts from "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore

“Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

With wisps of vibrant magic, the paper sleigh, and eight tiny paper reindeer leaped off their tabs in the pop-up book and flew around the living room. Max took in a gasp as he watched in wonderment before Santa arrived back to his rightful place in the book. The little boy’s giggle was delightful and infectious even as he clapped his little blue-skinned hands together, clearly excited for what the next page would bring. Magnus chuckled and pressed the softest kiss to the child’s cheek, which made Max let out a bright laugh and he wiggled in Magnus’ lap where they sat on the couch so he could return the cheek kiss with a smile.

Alec watched his husband entertaining their youngest from across the room as he and their older son Rafael worked to hang stockings on the gas-heated hearth which was filling the room with enough warmth that Alec felt stuffy in his dark gray sweater. Still, he continued to decorate the mantle as Rafael straightened the stockings, seeming to pay special attention to his younger brother’s so the glitter paint that said “Max” was straight and ready to be filled with small presents. Though Alec was trying to tune out the tales of Santa Claus, he couldn’t ignore Max’s glee with each page turn and eventually, he glanced back toward the couch and attempted a smile.

“Dad,” 10-year-old Rafael whispered in exasperation, “don’t ruin this for him. You know he loves Santa.”

Sighing quietly, Alec went back to dangling and wrapping strands of popcorn on a string around the framed photos and other trinkets on the mantle. He cast Rafael a sidelong look and softly smiled. “You know it would help if you still believed in him,” Alec gently chided his son.

Rafael shrugged. “Maybe, I do,” he replied cooly. “Just not in the way Max does.”

“You believe in Santa Claus?” Alec whispered dubiously, brow knitting in disbelief.

“I believe there are a lot of kids who need to believe in him. I don’t need to, but it is a nice idea to have an old man who comes down the chimney with presents for everyone.”

Alec started to argue but was cut off when he heard small footsteps quickly approaching and turned just in time to catch Max and pull him up with an exaggerated groan before setting the young warlock on his hip. “Hey there, punk,” Alec greeted with a chuckle before swinging them around to look at the hearth. “What do you think, huh? Festive enough for your liking?”

Max let out a titter of a giggle. “What’s ‘festive’?” he asked while gripping Alec’s sweater.

Always forgetting that a six-year-old’s vocabulary was limited, Alec scrunched his face in thought. “Uh,” Alec hummed as he struggled to think of simpler terms. “It means—”

“It means do you think Santa will like what we’ve put up for him?” Magnus interrupted as he approached with a slow smirk that made Max’s face light up and Alec swallow his frown of disapproval.

“Santa’s going to love it!” Max hooted and shook the front of Alec’s sweater. “Isn’t he, Dad, isn’t he?”

Alec gave a soft smile. “Of course he is, punk.”

“Which is why we should shut this off,” Rafael added as he took up a small remote and turned off the gas for the fire which died down before it was quenched. “Santa doesn’t come down chimneys with fires in them.”

Alec struggled to not roll his eyes. “Good point,” he conceded as he sat Max down on the floor. “I think it’s time for bed,” Alec announced before glancing to Rafael. “Make sure he puts toothpaste on the toothbrush this time, okay?”

“I know how to brush my teeth!” Max countered, clearly affronted, before he took off running toward the bathroom the boys’ rooms shared.

Rafael started after his younger brother with a little roll of his eyes. “Yeah, you do, so stop trying to eat the toothpaste when I’m not looking or Santa’s going to bring you coal!” he shouted as he sped up.

When the boys were out of the room, Alec let out an aggravated deep breath and shook his head. “I don’t like lying to him,” he said, which was the complaint he’d been lodging every year about Santa Claus.

“Alexander,” Magnus began in a soothing tone, “he’s at the peak of his imaginative prowess. Let him have this while he can.”

Alec scowled. “So that he can be disappointed and heartbroken when he learned every Christmas has been a fraud and he begins to wonder what else we’ve lied to him about?”

Taking a slow breath, Magnus folded his hands and gave Alec a lopsided tight smile of knowing. “We are not your parents,” he bluntly whispered. “He will not be devastated by this one white lie, I promise you.”

“You better be right,” Alec grumbled before his frown eased up and he shook his head, staring after their children, “or I’ll never forgive myself.”

Magnus held open his hands and Alec relaxed before placing his own fingers against them. “Let’s go tuck them in,” Magnus said as he met Alec’s gaze and closed his hands to hold Alec’s. “Santa has a lot of work to do, tonight.”

Nodding in defeat, Alec allowed Magnus to lead the way to the boys’ bedrooms. They always traded off on who did the tucking in with each boy before crossing over to turn off the light. Tonight was Alec’s turn with Max for the tucking in and he knew he had to go along with Santa for just a little longer.

“Hey, punk,” Alec said warmly as he entered the room where Max had already climbed up onto his twin-size bed with a castle headboard. “Did you brush your teeth?” he asked and Max smiled wide with his teeth showing and nodded. Alec then tilted his head as he helped Max under the covers. “Did you eat the toothpaste this time?”

“No, Rafael made me spit,” the little warlock huffed with disappointment.

“Good,” Alec said with a smile as he tucked Max in and kissed his horned forehead. “You ready for Christmas?” Alec asked and Max nodded excitedly which made Alec chuckle. “Okay, well get some good sleep so you can wake me and Papa up in the morning for all the presents under the tree.”

With that, Alec stood up, gave his little blue boy a lingering look and retreated toward the door.

“Hey, Dad?” Max’s voice piped up, sounding urgent.

“Yeah, punk?” Alec prompted as he turned back.

Max took a deep breath as if he was making a big decision before he spoke. “You should turn on the fireplace.”

“Why’s that?” Alec asked with a confused furrow of his brow.

“Because Rafael said that Santa doesn’t come down chimneys with fires and he shouldn’t come here. You and Papa can get us presents. Santa should have more presents for kids who don’t have dads.”

Alec wasn’t certain what ached more, his chest or his cheek from biting down to hold back his bewildered laugh at the benevolence of his youngest. He nodded slowly. “I’ll turn it on, punk,” he replied softly. “I’ll tell Papa that we can’t rely on Santa this year.”

Max nodded in sleepy triumph. “Thanks, Dad. I love you,” he said with a yawn.

“Love you, too, punk,” Alec said, feeling his chest ache again as he went to meet Magnus in the hall.

Magnus was just leaving Rafael’s room when a look of concern crossed his features and he approached Alec with outstretched hands. “Alexander, are you alright?”

Alec chuckled softly. “I’m fine, but our son just made me want to believe in Santa Claus.”

“Did he now?” Magnus had that unsure look as he took Alec’s arms. “Well, he must have said something quite miraculous.”

“Yeah,” Alec agreed eyes rolling upward as he started to feel the emotion pinching the corners of his eyes. “He wants me to turn on the fireplace so Santa won’t stop here. He thinks we should get him presents so Santa can give his away to kids without dads.”

There was a moment where Magnus stared as the words sunk in and Alec just nodded slowly before going to Magnus for a hug. “Well, thank goodness for Santa,” Magnus whispered and Alec could hear the smugness in this tone.

Alec let out a soft chuckle filled with emotion and pulled back to head past Magnus toward Rafael’s room. “But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,” Alec mimicked Magnus’ reading tone from earlier as Magnus looked at him with a proud grin. Alec winked as he held onto Rafael’s doorframe as he and Magnus recited the last line together.

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”


End file.
